JOHNNY IS THE BLUES’ TOM BRADY
Lancaster hails Patriot Sexton
LAURA Sexton mightn’t approve but Stuart Lancaster reckons her husband is a true Patriot.
Lancaster believes Sexton is Irish rugby’s equivalent to the NFL’S Tom Brady – and can go on as long as the New England Patriot’s star quarter-back.
Brady is 40 now but just missed out on a sixth Superbowl win in February.
Sexton, 32, will pick up his fourth Champions Cup winner’s medal if he guides
Leinster to victory against his former club Racing 92 on
Saturday.
Sexton revealed on RTE last week that Lancaster has made the Brady comparison to him as motivation for the Dubliner extending his career for years to come.
Smiling, Lancaster (inset) admitted: “I think his wife is a bit upset with me because I can see the comparison. Honestly, I can.
“When I started watching the Patriots and understanding how they went to five Super Bowls and Tom Brady is the quarterback who has done it, I could see it. I kept finding clips and sending them to Johnny.”
Around 18 months ago, Sexton’s call to Lancaster helped convince the ex-england head coach to come on board with the province under Leo Cullen.
They have clearly hit it off, with Lancaster’s emphasis on a free-flowing, attacking approaching very much in sync with Sexton’s own ideas about the game.
And Lancaster is a massive fan of the Ireland no 10.
“It’s obvious what he brings on the field but it’s the bit behind the scenes that people don’t see that’s the key to Johnny,” he said. “I have loved coaching with him.
“His knowledge of the game and his ability to use that knowledge in the heat of battle in the game is incredible.
“His ability to keep calm and composed, to think things through and solve the puzzle while in the game... he sees things like very few players I have coached.
“So there’s a gap – an international player would see the gap. A world-class player like Johnny would be through the gap.
“He’s that good. Because of his meticulous approach to preparation, he has absorbed all those lessons from all the great coaches who have coached him. That has made him the complete player - just like Tom Brady.”